When Love Isn’t Enough

A discreet, science‑backed reset for parents whose teen or adult child feels out of reach—
volatile, shut down, or gone. If you’re at the end of your rope, this is for you.

“You’re respected everywhere… except at home.”

Even the strongest parents hit this wall.
From the outside, you look capable, resourceful, respected.
Inside, you’re holding a family together while your older teen or adult child:

  • Cycles in and out of problematic life-choices

  • Engages in self-harm or addictive behaviors

  • Can’t keep a job or stay in school

  • Is dependent on you but also angry at you (a hostile dependency)

  • Blames you for their problems but won’t do their part

  • Shuts you out except in crisis

  • Leaves you feeling manipulated, afraid, and unsure you can trust the child you raised

You’ve told yourself that if they’d just get better, the whole family could heal. But their behaviors have been running the household for too long, and nothing changes when you keep doing what you’ve been doing.

This high-discretion, science-backed program helps you step out of the Burn Cycle—the exhausting loop of resentment, rescuing, and emotional whiplash—and into a calmer, steadier way of leading your family. All without betraying your values or losing your edge.

We start October 9th.
Spots are limited to keep the group small and intimate.

Victim → “I can’t do this anymore. Nothing works.”

Villain → “Why are you like this? You’re ruining everything.”

Rescuer → “Let me fix this. Just do what I say.”

Then back to Victim... again.

It’s reactive. Predictable. Painfully familiar.

It keeps everyone trapped.

The Burn Cycle
(how families get stuck)

The Repair Loop
(The new path we teach)

Creator → “I can’t control them. But I can lead from who I want to be.”

Challenger → “This isn’t working. I’ll face it with love and limits.”

Coach → “I’m here. I believe you can grow. But I won’t rescue you

This loop reclaims your authority.

It resets the system—not through force,

but through clarity, consistency, and grounded leadersh

Facilitators

  • Cindy Finch, LCSW

    Founder of Cindy Finch Therapy & Epic Comeback. Mayo Clinic trained, licensed clinician. Trauma-informed coach. A parent who’s lived it. Trusted by top-tier families across California.

  • Nancy Epstein

    DBT Parent Coach. Public health professional + mother of a child who didn’t follow the rules. Nancy teaches what saved her family.

  • Sue Wojtaszek

    Parent ambassador. Survivor of the Burn Cycle. Sue knows how hard it is to show up, and she’s here to help you stay in the work.

“I’ve spent hundreds of thousands on my daughter’s treatment. This was the first thing that actually helped me become someone she could return to.”

— Parent, Newport Coast

About When Love Isn’t Enough

    • Your child swings between neediness and attack; every text feels like a grenade—or there’s only silence.

    • You’re afraid of their choices (self‑harm, substances, risky relationships, impulsive spending, legal trouble).

    • You’ve been blamed, shut out, or used—then punished for pulling back.

    • Home (and marriage) are frayed from years of crisis management.

    • You want to love well without losing yourself, funding chaos, or burning down your health.

    If you nodded through that list, you’re in the right room.

    • What is it? A live, small‑group coaching intensive for parents. You’ll get calm‑the‑storm tools, boundary language that holds, and a plan for the next hard moment.

    • Who is it for? Parents of teens or adult children—together or solo—who are living with crisis, cutoff, or chaos and need a major shift.

    • What’s the arc? From reactivity, rescuing, and eggshell walking (the Burn Cycle) to steadiness, clarity, and connection on your side of the line (the Repair Loop).

    • 7 live Zoom intensives

    • Epic Comeback Workbook + weekly prompts

    • 30-day integration guide

    • Private alumni circle (invite only)

    • BONUS: Surviving the Holidays workshop

    Tuition: $749 (Limited scholarships available)

    Dates: October 9th - November 20th, 2025

    Note: class size kept intentionally small, limited seats available.

    1. The Burn Cycle → The Repair Loop (my reframe of Karpman’s Drama Triangle): stop toggling between Fixer, Policymaker, and Doormat; lead as an adult partner and parent.

    2. De‑escalation in 90 Seconds: physiological brakes, co‑regulation cues, and what to do when a call/text spikes your nervous system.

    3. Boundary Language That Holds: clear, kind scripts for money, housing, car use, curfews, contact rules, and digital boundaries. (Exact words provided.)

    4. Hostile Dependency & Estrangement: how to respond to cutoff, guilt hooks, and smear campaigns without rage or collapse.

    5. Safety & Triage: how to assess risk, when to call 911/988, and how to make a Cope‑Ahead Plan for weekends, paydays, court dates, and holidays.

    6. Repair Without Enabling: small promises kept, accountability that isn’t performative, and openings for contact that respect everyone’s dignity.

    7. Protecting Home Base: stabilizing your health, marriage/partnership, younger siblings, and finances while you love your child.

    • Money: “We’re pressing pause on transfers this month. Here’s what we can support: [therapy copay / bus pass]. We’ll review on the 1st.”

    • Contact: “We love you. We’re available to talk Sundays 4–5pm. If a text feels heated, we’ll pause and reply tomorrow.”

    • Housing: “We’re not a safe landing right now. Here are three shelters/resources. We’ll revisit in 30 days.”

    • Threats: “If you’re unsafe, call 988 or 911. We’ll stay on the line while you do.”

    • Practical tools that work under emotional pressure

    • The ability to stay calm—even when no one else is

    • Boundaries that hold

    • A clear sense of what’s yours—and what’s not

    • A way to show up strong without needing your child (or co-parent) to change first

    • A discreet, high-integrity circle of others who get it

    • Fewer blowups. Faster recovery.

    • Conversations that don’t detonate.

    • A clearer sense of what’s yours—and what’s not.

    • Clarity instead of fear.

    • A parent who finally feels like themselves again.

  • Graduates may join an alumni circle and can request private consults as openings allow.

Structure + Logistics

  • Week 1: Naming the Trap
    Spot your survival roles. Make room for something stronger.

    Week 2: Disarming the Inner Scripts
    Trade reactivity for grounded response.

    Week 3: Big Girl Panties & Brutal Truths
    Grieve what didn’t happen—without abandoning yourself.

    Week 4: Regulate to Relate
    Use the body to stabilize. Lead from the inside out.

    Week 5: Healing in Real Time
    Practice repair. Learn structured vulnerability.

    Week 6: Designing Your Exit Plan
    Make the shift sustainable. Exit the triangle for good.

    Week 7: The Plot Twist is You
    Integrate, reflect, and re-author your role.

    • 7‑week live cohort on Zoom, 2 hours/week.

    • Parents‑only room for discretion and candor. Come solo or with your co‑parent.

    • No recordings to protect privacy. You’ll receive concise weekly guides, scripts, and practices.

    • Live sessions (2 hrs/week)

    • + 15–20 minutes/day of simple practices and script reps.

  • You’ll receive the week’s guide, scripts, and a short recap so you can keep momentum.

    • A private spot for the call

    • Notebook + pen

    • Water, tissues, and a willingness to try small things consistently

Common Concerns

  • Yes. Many parents begin with zero contact or high conflict. The skills are designed to stabilize you and open the door, if/when contact becomes safe.

  • No program can promise that.

    This one will help you stop the chaos on your side, lead with clarity, and create the conditions where healthy connection is possible.

    Sometimes the outcome is reconnection; sometimes it’s a respectful, boundaried distance. Either way, you’ll be stronger and steadier.

  • This is coaching and education, not psychotherapy. We focus on skills and structure. You can attend alongside therapy; I’m glad to coordinate with your clinician as needed.

    • Small group; first names only in the room.

    • No screenshots or recording.

    • Clear community agreements; breach = removal.

    • Appropriate for public‑facing professionals and private families.

  • This is not an emergency service. If you or your child are in immediate danger or considering self‑harm, call local emergency services or the 988 Lifeline (U.S.). We’ll also provide referral lists for higher‑level care.

  • All genders, orientations, cultures, and neurotypes are welcome.

    Plain‑language teaching + presence of Parent Ambassador for help outside of class as needed.

Cost and Registration

    • Tuition: $749

    • Start Date: September 18, 2025

    • (No class Oct 2 for Yom Kippur)

    • Scholarships available upon request

    • Full refund if requested 7 days before the start date.

    • After the start date, tuition is non‑refundable and non‑transferable.

Ready to Begin?

You don’t need your co-parent to participate.
You don’t need your child to change first.
You just need clarity, structure, and a new way forward.